Scottish Executive

Child Welfare

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had, or plans to have, meetings with any internet service provider or web hosting services to discuss guidelines for the protection of children using such services.

Dr Richard Simpson: Internet regulation is a reserved issue. Matters relating to the protection of children using the internet is the responsibility of the Home Office which has established a task force involving representatives from across the UK internet industry. As a result of the group’s recommendations to raise public awareness of the activities of paedophiles in internet chatrooms and steps to avoid them the Executive is contributing to the current UK-wide "know the net" campaign to alert children to the risks of the internet and how to minimise them. The Executive is also participating in a UK-wide exercise to accredit educational Internet service providers who wish to serve the education market (including libraries, community learning facilities, UK Online centres etc). The main focus of the approval process is on safety features such as content filtering.

Children and Young People

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide sufficient secure establishments for children and young people in order to avoid any necessity to use adult prisons.

Cathy Jamieson: There are 95 secure places in Scotland and we have over twice the proportion of children in secure accommodation as in England and three times as many as in Wales. The Secure Accommodation Advisory Group’s interim report concluded that the available data did not substantiate the need for expansion. We are considering this further and I will announce our conclusions shortly. Only under extreme circumstances are young people held in adult units, for the absolute minimum time necessary for secure accommodation to be found. The number of such cases is declining (13 in 1999: 5 in 2000).

Digital Technology

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the broadband services will be delivered to the south of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands as referred to by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice in the debate on the Scottish Executive’s Priorities on 9 January 2002 ( Official Report , Col.5184) and who will initiate this delivery.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is currently considering what body, or bodies, should lead the procurement process for broadband services for the Highlands and Islands and the South of Scotland. We wish to see services in place as soon as possible but given the nature of the procurement process and the need for equipment to be put in place, we would not expect services under a new contract to be delivered before the second part of 2003.

Digital Technology

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the broadband services referred to by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice in the debate on the Scottish Executive’s Priorities on 9 January 2002 ( Official Report , Col. 5184) will be extended to other rural areas and who will initiate this extension.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the broadband services referred to by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice in the debate on the Scottish Executive’s Priorities on 9 January 2002 ( Official Report , Col.5184) will be delivered to rural areas within the Banff and Buchan parliamentary constituency and who will initiate this delivery.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive will determine how broadband services should be procured for the public sector in rural areas outside the initial pathfinder areas by having regard to experience in the pathfinder areas and developments in the telecoms sector.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police which are subsequently prosecuted.

Elish Angiolini QC: The objective of the police is to investigate such incidents properly and fully. The objective of procurators fiscal is to scrutinise reports for a sufficiency of evidence and then to select from the range of available options the one which is most appropriate in the particular case. One important consideration is the probability that any given option will reduce the likelihood of further offending. Allegations of domestic abuse are treated very seriously by prosecutors who were issued in July 2000 with fresh training and guidance on this area of offending. However, it would be inappropriate to have an objective to increase the number of prosecutions. Each individual case must be considered on its own merits.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to tackle repeat victimisation in cases of domestic abuse reported to the police.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive is committed to ensuring that women who have experienced domestic abuse get the support and protection they need. This includes providing a sufficient number of refuge places but also providing support to those who do not wish to leave. There are many reasons why women might be reluctant to leave an abusive partner and may suffer a number of incidents of abuse before doing so. Her decision must be respected. The important thing is that she should get the help and information she wants at any stage.

  The information on repeat victimisation in the police statistics is very helpful in building up a picture of the nature of abuse. It is for police forces to decide how they will respond to specific instances of repeat victimisation.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18510 by Mr Jim Wallace on 9 October 2001, whether the Central Research Unit has now completed its Crime and Criminal Justice research programme for 2001-04 and, if it has, how much funding it is planning to devote to research on domestic violence issues in each of the next two years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The new Crime and Criminal Justice Research Programme is not yet available for publication. The previous Research Programme ran from 1998 to 2001. A new research agenda is being worked out for publication early in 2002. Even when the research agenda is published it will not be possible to say how much monies will be devoted to a specific issue such as domestic violence. Research is not commissioned to a fixed timetable but, rather, according to identified and emerging priorities and the cost of that research is determined by the nature of the study and how long it takes to complete.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the 37% of recorded incidents of domestic abuse in 1999-2000 referred to the Procurator Fiscal’s Office were subsequently referred to diversion from prosecution schemes and on what grounds any such referrals were made.

Colin Boyd QC: "Domestic abuse" may be constituted by several offences. Records relating to those offences do not distinguish those which fall into the domestic abuse category. The information is, accordingly, not available.

Domestic Abuse

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what match funding was provided by NHS boards for projects concerning domestic abuse in the last year for which figures are available.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund administered by the Scottish Executive Justice Department provides £6 million over four years to strengthen local services, of which £79,000 currently supports seven projects where all or part of the matched funding is provided by an NHS board.

Drug Misuse

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Home Secretary on the announced change in classification of cannabis and whether it has issued any guidelines to police forces regarding the announced change.

Dr Richard Simpson: We have not made formal representations to the Home Secretary on this issue, which is reserved to the UK Government. However, Scottish interests are well represented on the statutory Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which has been asked by the Home Secretary to review the classification of cannabis.

  A recommendation from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to the Home Secretary is expected in the next few months and may lead to reclassification. Any advice to Scottish Police Forces from the Scottish Executive would reflect the Home Secretary’s decision.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it took to draft its Draft Guidance on the Circumstances in Which Parents May Choose to Educate Their Children at Home ; when the draft was completed; when it sent copies to (a) the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, (b) the Association of Directors of Education, (c) individual education authorities and (d) home education organisations and when a copy was posted on to its website.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive undertook work to prepare the draft guidance on the circumstances in which parents may choose to educate their children at home between July 2000 and December 2001. The draft was completed on 10 December 2001. Following printing, copies of the draft guidance were issued for consultation to (a) the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, (b) the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, (c) individual education authorities, and (d) home education organisations on 20 December 2001. A copy of the draft guidance was posted on the Scottish Executive website on 27 December 2001.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why there was no indication in its website news section that its Draft Guidance on the Circumstances in Which Parents May Choose to Educate Their Children at Home had been published; whether the version which was originally posted on its website indicated to whom responses should be sent and by when and, if so, when the revised version showing this information was posted.

Nicol Stephen: When the draft guidance on the circumstances in which parents may choose to educate their children at home was issued for consultation, the Scottish Executive decided to send the document to those parties with a direct interest. This was done on 20 December 2001. The document was posted on the Scottish Executive website on 27 December 2001.

  The version of the draft guidance originally posted on the website did not indicate to whom responses should be sent and by when; this was an error that was rectified on 8 January 2002.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what views were expressed by home education organisations in advance of publication of its Draft Guidance on the Circumstances in Which Parents May Choose to Educate Their Children at Home ; which of these views were reflected in the guidance; what consideration was given to the views expressed by the Scottish Consumer Council in its report Homeworks on the treatment by local authorities of home educating families, and in what way these views were reflected in its guidance.

Nicol Stephen: During initial consultation, representatives of home education organisations and local authorities raised a range of issues that have been addressed in the draft guidance on the circumstances in which parents may choose to educate their children at home. The Scottish Consumer Council Homeworks report was also given full consideration and many of the issues raised in the report have been addressed in the draft guidance which has been issued for consultation until 29 March 2002.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the intentions set out in paragraph 2.6 of its Draft Guidance on the Circumstances in Which Parents May Choose to Educate Their Children at Home exceed the powers contained under section 37 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and, if so, whether there is any risk of local authorities engaging in unlawful activity as a result and in breaching data protection and human rights legislation, and to what legal scrutiny the draft guidance was subject to before publication.

Nicol Stephen: Section 37 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, provides that authorities have a duty to intervene if they are not satisfied that a parent is providing an efficient education that is suited to his or her child. The Scottish Executive believes that authorities cannot fulfil this responsibility without taking reasonable steps to satisfy themselves as to the effectiveness of the education provision being made for a child. Paragraph 2.6 of the draft guidance on the circumstances in which parents may choose to educate their children at home reflects that position. In fulfilling their duties, authorities must act within the terms of data protection and human rights legislation. The draft guidance, which has been issued for consultation until 29 March 2002, was subject to the normal legal scrutiny.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any research which exists to support the position that home educated children are in need of extraordinary measures of care and protection; whether any of this research was considered in advance of the drafting of its Draft Guidance on the Circumstances in Which Parents May Choose to Educate Their Children at Home and, if so, in what way it has been reflected in the guidance and why the draft guidance takes the position it does.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any research which exists to suggest that home educated children are in need of extraordinary measures of care and protection. The Scottish Executive believes that appropriate measures should be in place to ensure the educational welfare of all children and that position is reflected in the draft guidance on the circumstances in which parents may choose to educate their children at home, issued for consultation until 29 March 2002.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way the national priorities for schools are relevant to home education and which academic studies relating to home education were considered prior to the drafting of its Draft Guidance on the Circumstances in Which Parents May Choose to Educate Their Children at Home .

Nicol Stephen: The effectiveness of home education provision should be considered in the context of, but not dictated by, the philosophy behind the National Priorities which have been established for school education. The National Priorities promote the development of core skills, self-discipline, respect for self and others in society, and creativity and ambition in all children. A range of documents provided by Education Otherwise was considered in preparing the draft guidance, including a summary of Educating Children at Home by Alan Thomas and The Next Learning System by Roland Meighan.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are currently being home educated by choice and how this figure was compiled and substantiated.

Nicol Stephen: In response to a Scottish Executive survey of children educated outwith school, education authorities reported that a total of 349 children were known to be receiving home education as a result of parental choice in 2000-01. The survey requested information about all children who had received education outwith school at any point during the 2000-01 school year, whether out of necessity or by parental choice. The above figure relates only to those children educated outwith school by parental choice. It does not include those who received education outwith school because they were unable to attend due to illness or exceptional circumstances. The Scottish Executive recognises that the true figure is likely to be much higher since many children who are educated at home by choice are not currently in contact with their education authority.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how its plans to monitor children as outlined in its Draft Guidance on the Circumstances in Which Parents May Choose to Educate Their Children at Home are connected with the proposed surveillance monitoring of all children through the collection in England of personalised school census and other data without the express consent of parents or children and what discussions it has held with the Department for Education and Skills concerning the establishment of a UK-wide tracking system for children.

Nicol Stephen: The recommendations made in the draft guidance on the circumstances in which parents may choose to educate their children at home that relate to the monitoring of home education provision are not connected with any plans in England to collect pupil level school census data for statistical purposes. There were no discussions held with the Department for Education and Skills on the establishment of a UK-wide tracking system for children.

Employment

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to prevent job losses in Glenrothes.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Tackling unemployment in any area remains a high priority for the Scottish Executive and the enterprise networks.

  Scottish Enterprise Fife is focusing on the direction and priorities set out in the Executive’s A Smart, Successful Scotland. This sets out the foundation for sustained improvement in economic performance in Scotland. It focuses on three key challenges for raising productivity:

  Growing businesses

  Global connection

  Learning and skills

Enterprise

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will receive the £16.7 million Regional Selective Assistance clawback from Motorola announced by the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 25 April 2001.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Motorola repaid £16.75 million to the Executive in May 2001.

Enterprise

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £2.5 million Regional Selective Assistance should be clawed back from the electronics company NEC Semi-conductors (UK) Ltd following the comments made by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 20 December 2001 ( Official Report , col. 5066).

Ms Wendy Alexander: I made clear in the Parliament on 20 December that while NEC’s facility at Livingston is regarded as mothballed rather than closed, the outstanding grant of £2.4 million will not require to be repaid. A close watching brief on this will of course be maintained.

Enterprise

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18938 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 26 October 2001, whether the position in regard to the Motorola Taskforce remains the same.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I announced in Parliament on 25 April 2001 that the Executive would set aside up to £10 million to fund measures which may be required by the closure of Motorola’s Bathgate plant. The answer I provided to parliamentary question S1W-20969 details how much of the monies which are available to the Motorola Taskforce have been spent to date and forecast spend.

  I also announced in Parliament on the 20 December 2001 that the Executive will provide £6 million (of the £10 million which had been set aside) to the West Lothian Strategic Action Plan for economic development in the area. In addition the Motorola Taskforce can also continue to draw on resources of agencies involved in helping ex Motorola workers find new opportunities.

Enterprise

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £16.7 million Regional Selective Assistance clawback from Motorola announced by the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 25 April 2001 will be allocated.

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £16.7 million Regional Selective Assistance clawback from Motorola announced by the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 25 April 2001 will be invested in West Lothian.

Ms Wendy Alexander: On 25 April 2001 I announced in the Parliament that the Scottish Executive was setting aside up to £10 million to help fund the Motorola Taskforce’s action plan.

  On 20 December 2001 I announced in the Parliament that the Scottish Executive will provide £6 million (of the £10 million which had been set aside) to the West Lothian Strategic Action Plan for economic development for the area.

  All recoveries of Regional Selective Assistance are returned to the Executive’s budget, in line with normal procedure.

Enterprise

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently employed in its Improving Regulation in Scotland unit and what its budget is for (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Improving Regulation in Scotland Unit is currently staffed by the equivalent of 2.5 full-time staff with additional support being given where necessary. The running costs of the unit are contained within those of the Enterprise and Industry Division and cannot be disaggregated.

Environment

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies have published environmental reports for the year ending 31 December 2001.

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many multinational companies with bases in Scotland have published environmental reports for the year ending 31 December 2001.

Ross Finnie: The information requested is not collected centrally. Collecting company annual reports is a matter for the UK government. The Executive supports the call made by the Prime Minister for the top 350 companies to publish annual environment reports. We believe that it is vital to work closely with the business community to promote sustainable development.

Ferry Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would fund and support, in principle, a study into the viability of cross-estuary commuter ferries on the Firth of Forth, and whether it would urge other relevant non-departmental public bodies to support such a study.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive part-funded an earlier study of fast ferry links across the Forth which showed that considerable public sector financial support would be required for such a venture.

  I expect the Forth Estuary Transportation Authority to take up its responsibilities on 1 April 2002. These responsibilities include the examination of and, if appropriate, funding of measures that would improve cross-Forth travel.

Health

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in assessing the case for Lennoxtown document presented to it by Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire in November 2001 and when it plans to make a response.

Malcolm Chisholm: In anticipation of the planned closure of Lennox Castle Hospital, Greater Glasgow Primary Care Trust has been considering the options for the reuse of the hospital site. I understand that the proposed partnership initiative with East Dunbartonshire Council and the local community is one and that it is in the early stages of development.

Health

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what options it is considering in respect of use of funds from the sale of the former Lennox Castle hospital site and when a decision will be reached on this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is initially for NHS Greater Glasgow to consider what use will be made of any receipt available from the sale of Lennox Castle Hospital site. When NHS Greater Glasgow has reached a conclusion this will be considered by the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will allocate the £20 million announced on 9 January 2002 to tackle bed blocking amongst NHS and health boards.

Hugh Henry: The Minister for Health and Community Care will announce an Action Plan on delayed discharge in February 2002. This will contain details of how the new resources will be targeted to reduce bed blocking in Scottish hospitals.

Higher Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to co-ordinate the establishment of the NHS Technology Transfer Office with that of the proposed Technology Transfer Office for academic services funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Malcolm Chisholm: We are not aware of any specific proposal by the Scottish Health Education Funding Council (SHEFC) to establish a Technology Transfer Office for academic services. The Scottish Executive Health Department has on-going and effective links with SHEFC to ensure effective communication and, where appropriate, co-ordination of activities.

Housing

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many owner-occupied houses in the City of Edinburgh Council area have been demolished in each year since 1997.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses owned by housing associations have been demolished in the City of Edinburgh Council area in each year since 1997.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses owned by the City of Edinburgh Council have been demolished in each year since 1997.

Iain Gray: The available information is given in the following table. From 1998, information on demolitions by tenure distinguishes only local authority stock from non-local authority stock.

  Total Number of Dwellings Demolished by Tenure

  City of Edinburgh Council, 1997 to 2000:

  


Calendar Year 
  

Local Authority 
  

Owner Occupied 
  

New Town 
  

Scottish Homes 
  

Housing Association 
  

Other 
  

All Tenures 
  



1997 
  

352 
  

4 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

356 
  



1998 
  

286 
  

ß 0 à 
  

286 
  



1999 
  

555 
  

ß 0 à 
  

555 
  



2000 
  

281 
  

ß 0 à 
  

281 
  



  Note: The data which local authorities supply on demolitions of non-local authority houses will mainly cover demolitions arising from statutory action by the council.

Individual Learning Accounts

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 245,000 individual learning account (ILA) holders will not be in a position to start a course due to the closure of the ILA scheme.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Learners who enrolled in learning before the scheme’s closure will be able to proceed if their learning starts before the end of this month. Letters have gone to all account holders explaining the reasons for the closure and providing them with details of a dedicated freephone helpline (0808 100 1090) should they require further advice.

Individual Learning Accounts

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it anticipates that investigations will last into the validity of claims for payment of individual learning accounts before 20 December 2001 and for which learning will have commenced by 31 January 2002, and whether there will be any priority given to small businesses whose future may depend on these payments.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Claims for payment of ILA-supported learning commenced before 31 January 2002, for which the learner enrolled before 20 December 2001, are currently being accepted. Validation of all outstanding claims is on-going.

Individual Learning Accounts

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of potential fraud in connection with individual learning accounts are being investigated and who is carrying out the investigations.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The scale of potential fraud is being assessed through the validation currently under way, as well as retrospective auditing of claims already paid under the scheme. The investigations are being undertaken by KPMG and Scottish Enterprise staff.

Larkhall Gas Explosion

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the investigation into those responsible for the Larkhall gas explosion in December 1999.

Colin Boyd QC: Following a meeting between representatives of the Procurator Fiscal's Office and Crown Counsel on 15 November 2001, the Procurator Fiscal at Hamilton was instructed to undertake further enquiries. The results of those further enquiries should be reported to Crown Office by 31 January 2002.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance the NHS 24 helpline will give to those with a mental illness.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS 24 recognises that there is a real need to provide support for people with a mental health illness and have taken this into account in developing the clinical decision software that will be used by its nurses. Clinical algorithms have been developed for crisis, suicide, depression, confusion and many other conditions. These have also been reviewed under NHS 24’s quality review process by a range of clinicians which have included doctors and mental health specialist nurses.

  NHS 24 recognises the importance of ensuring that their nurses have the skill set and competency base to support patients with mental health problems. Within the core induction and training for NHS 24 nurses, they have invested a significant resource towards mental health training. This comprehensive training programme has been specifically developed for NHS 24 by the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health in conjunction with Abertay University.

  NHS 24’s Health Information Service will also provide information to people on the mental health and support services which are available at a local and national level.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £20 million announced by the First Minister on 9 January 2002 to tackle bed blocking will be allocated for patients with mental illness as well as elderly patients.

Hugh Henry: The additional resources for delayed discharge will be aimed at reducing delays across NHSScotland and not tied to particular specialities.

National Health Service

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend a statutory duty of Best Value to the expenditure of NHS boards and trusts.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently no plans to extend a statutory duty of Best Value to NHS Boards and Trusts. NHS Trusts already have a statutory responsibility to carry out their functions effectively, efficiently and economically. Additionally, the operational and financial performance of NHS bodies is scrutinised directly and systematically by the Health Department through the new Performance Assessment Framework, as announced in Our National Health , and through regular monitoring.

Planning

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance, financial or otherwise, it provides to Planning Aid for Scotland.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive does not provide any financial or other assistance to Planning Aid for Scotland.

  The Executive's consultation paper on Getting Involved in Planning highlights the need to consider with local authorities and the profession, ways of helping to put Planning Aid for Scotland on a more secure financial footing. The Executive has informed Planning Aid for Scotland that it is happy to explore with them, ways of how this can best be achieved.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when its Cabinet last discussed the Scottish Prison Service’s Estates Review.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Cabinet discussed the Scottish Prison Service’s Estates Review at its meeting on Wednesday 16 January 2002.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when its Cabinet next expects to discuss the Scottish Prison Service’s Estates Review.

Mr Jim Wallace: No date has yet been set.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the Scottish Prison Service’s Estates Review and the associated financial assessment undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has both documents and is considering them.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20313 by Mr Jim Wallace on 17 December 2001, whether it has set a date for the publication of the Scottish Prison Service’s Estates Review.

Mr Jim Wallace: Publication will coincide with the start of the consultation process, likely to commence in the next couple of months.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how long the period of consultation after the publication of the Scottish Prison Service’s Estates Review will be.

Mr Jim Wallace: The period of consultation will be 12 weeks.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children and young people aged (a) under 16 and (b) from 16 to 18 in each sheriff court area have been held in adult establishments in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is given in tables titled, "Receptions of young offenders into adult establishments by age, court and establishment: 1998 to 2000" and are available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. No. 18600). Figures for year 2001 are not yet available.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11438 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 January 2001, what the average annual cost to the taxpayer will be of each prisoner place in each Scottish Prison Service prison other than HM Prison Kilmarnock in (a) real cash terms and (b) net present value terms over the same 25-year period of the HM Prison Kilmarnock contract.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information is not available.

Rail Freight

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government concerning any impact on Scottish businesses and, in particular, on the whisky industry of the restriction of rail freight through the Channel Tunnel that began on 7 November 2001.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the restriction of rail freight, which might impact on Scottish businesses such as the whisky industry.

Rail Freight

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of any increase in road freight in Scotland arising from restrictions on rail freight through the Channel Tunnel.

Lewis Macdonald: Information on possible increases in road freight in Scotland arising from any restrictions on rail freight through the Channel Tunnel is not held centrally. However, we are in regular contact with the UK Government concerning European and International rail services.

Rail Freight

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government that it should take steps to ensure that freight trains bound for Scotland are not delayed.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a wide range of issues, including rail freight.

Rail Freight

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted on the impact on Scottish business of any planned diversion of freight trains from the west coast main line to other routes.

Lewis Macdonald: No. The Scottish Executive has not been approached by any of the rail freight operators concerning the effects on Scottish business of trains being diverted from the West Coast Main Line.

Rail Freight

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what representations it has made regarding on-going speed restrictions for rail freight in Scotland and (b) when, and to whom, any such representations were made.

Lewis Macdonald: The imposition of speed restrictions on the railway network is an operational matter for Railtrack. The Scottish Executive has no direct locus or powers to intervene.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the tender document which specified the standards required to be met by applicants for the trunk roads maintenance contracts made any stipulation as to the salt content to be used in grit.

Lewis Macdonald: The tender document specified that the Operating Company shall use rock salt complying with BS 3247 for de-icing operations.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the salt content of the grit used by BEAR Scotland Ltd in maintaining the trunk roads in the north of Scotland complies with the standards required under its contract; what testing it has conducted to check that BEAR Scotland Ltd are meeting these required standards; what the results of any such testing were, and when the testing was carried out and at what location.

Lewis Macdonald: The contract requires that salt used to de-ice trunk roads must be regularly tested to comply with standards, and the records of these tests must be maintained for inspection. The Performance Audit Group intends to inspect this information as part of their on-going programme of audits.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the required level of salt in grit and how it ensures that there is not a low salt content in the grit used on trunk roads which results in a reduced effectiveness of the grit.

Lewis Macdonald: The policy for salt used to de-ice trunk roads is contained in the contract documents. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21762 today.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it has carried out into the salt content in the grit used by BEAR Scotland Ltd in performing its obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract; whether it will place a copy of the results of this monitoring in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and make it publicly available, and what monitoring it plans to carry out in the future.

Lewis Macdonald: The Performance Audit Group (PAG) is appointed by the Scottish Executive to audit and monitor the activities of BEAR Scotland Ltd, including their winter activities, and I have undertaken to publish a report by PAG on the first year of operation of the new contracts in line with the recommendation of the Auditor General. A copy of the report, once available, will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether BEAR Scotland Ltd has any plans to reduce costs by lowering the salt content of the grit used on trunk roads and whether it will give details, including dates, of any representations it has made to BEAR Scotland Ltd on this matter.

Lewis Macdonald: There are no plans to amend the quality of salt specified in the contract documents. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21762 today.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and make publicly available copies of any communication between it and BEAR Scotland Ltd in connection with its monitoring of BEAR Scotland Ltd’s performance under the trunk roads maintenance contract.

Lewis Macdonald: It would not be appropriate to publish copies of correspondence between the Executive and BEAR Scotland Ltd because of contractual and commercial considerations. However, I have undertaken to publish a report by PAG on the first year of operation of the new contracts in line with the recommendation of the Auditor General. A copy of the report, once available, will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations have been made to it, or what inquiries it has made, into the condition of the pavements in Newtonmore during the week commencing 30 December 2001; whether the salt content of the grit was a factor in the condition of the pavements, and what action it has taken, and with whom, as a result.

Lewis Macdonald: No representations were received by the Scottish Executive concerning the condition of the footways in Newtonmore during the week commencing 30 December 2001.

  All rock salt used on trunk roads and associated footways complies with British Standard BS 3247 and this material is not considered to be a factor in the condition of the pavements in Newtonmore.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures BEAR Scotland Ltd has in place to ensure that the highest regard is made to public safety when fulfilling its obligations under the trunk roads maintenance contract and what monitoring there is to ensure that such measures are in place and are complied with.

Lewis Macdonald: BEAR Scotland Ltd has quality systems and operational procedures in place which require safety issues to be addressed, relating both to the public and its employees, whilst ensuring that its other obligations under the terms of the trunk road contract are met. These systems and procedures have been scrutinised by Performance Audit Group and consented to by the Scottish Executive.

Roads

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20738 by Lewis Macdonald on 28 December 2001, how many monitoring assignments the Performance Audit Group undertook outside normal working hours between 20 December 2001 and 7 January 2002 in the Highland Council area.

Lewis Macdonald: The offices of the Performance Audit Group (PAG) were closed between 24 December and 2 January. However, in view of the weather conditions prevailing, staff from the PAG travelled routes in the north west and north east Operating Units to report on conditions on 27, 28, 29 and 31 December. Staff also visited BEAR’s winter control room in the North East on 29 December.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-20742 by Mike Watson on 20 December 2001, whether it will make any representations to Her Majesty’s Treasury seeking additional funds in the event of the campaign by VisitScotland to promote shopping holidays in Edinburgh and Glasgow generating increased revenue through VAT and other taxation.

Mike Watson: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.